Kevin and the Gang: In-Between, Episode 3 - Boys' Night In
by J-R Virtual Seasons
Summary: March 2001: With his mother working all night, Michael wants a friend to keep him company, and Kevin is the chosen one. When their male bonding goes a little too far, the boys must pool their skills to cover up the evidence.


Kevin went up to the front door of Michael's apartment and pressed the bell. Michael opened the door a few seconds later, and fixed Kevin with a smile.

'Hey, Kev,' said Michael.

'Hi, Mike,' said Kevin.

'Come on in,' said Michael. 'You can dump your stuff in my room.'

Kevin followed Michael through the kitchen and then the hallway, and finally into Michael's bedroom. The mattress had been pulled off the bed and was leaning against the wall, along with a large pile of bedding.

'We're gonna drag that into the lounge later for one of us to sleep on, and the other one's gonna take the couch,' Michael explained, indicating the mattress. 'Just put your junk anywhere, Kev.'

Kevin smirked slightly, then he put the small overnight bag he was carrying onto the bare frame of Michael's bed. He removed his shoes and kicked them under the bed, then he took off his hooded top and draped it over his bag.

'I sure do appreciate you inviting me to sleep over, Mike,' said Kevin. 'You, er... you don't normally do this kind of thing, do you?'

'No, not normally,' Michael agreed, 'but my mom has to work the night shift and she said I could have someone over to keep me company if I wanted, so I figured, what the hell?'

'You didn't think of inviting Ella, then?' Kevin said with a grin.

'Yeah, I _thought_ of it,' Michael laughed, 'but I know my mom would never've gone for _that_ idea!'

'Is she so sure _we're_ not gonna do anything she wouldn't approve of?' said Kevin. 'I mean, just because neither of us is a girl...'

'My mom knows I'm not secretly gay, Kev,' said Michael. 'Moms always know stuff like that.'

'Well, of all the boys you could've invited, I'm honoured that you chose me, Mike.'

'There wasn't anyone else I wanted to invite.'

'Really?' said Kevin, raising an eyebrow. 'Not even someone from that gang of yours?'

'I don't hang around with those guys anymore, Kev,' said Michael. 'I have _real_ friends now.'

Kevin smiled and said, 'I still feel pretty special to've been picked over Jandro and Oscar.'

'Yeah, well... they're _your_ friends really, Kev, aren't they?' said Michael. 'But you... well, you're _my_ friend, as well as their friend.'

'Aw, Mikey,' said Kevin, giving him a punch on the arm, 'you're just a big softie really, aren't you?'

'Yeah, well don't let on about that, Kev,' said Michael. 'I have a reputation to uphold, okay?'

Kevin laughed and gave Michael a shove. Michael shoved him back, then Rita entered the bedroom.

'Ah, Kevin, I thought I heard you come in,' she said, smoothing down the front of her supermarket worker's tabard. 'I'm so pleased you could come and sleep over with Mikey. There's some macaroni and cheese keeping warm on the stove, and you can have something out of the ice-cream drawer in the freezer for dessert. Don't stay up watching TV all night, will you?'

'Mom, I told you,' said Michael, 'we're gonna watch _one_ video!'

'I'm so sorry I have to work the night shift,' said Rita. 'I've told Jimmy it's a one-off and I'm never doing it again but... well, we really do need the money, Mikey.'

'It's fine, Mom,' said Michael. 'I can cope without you being in the apartment at night – I'm fourteen years old, okay? And I have Kev to keep me company, so...'

'Oh, yes,' said Rita, 'thank you _so_ much for doing this, Kevin.'

'It's not a problem,' said Kevin. 'I love sleepovers!'

Rita smiled, then she looked at her watch and dashed from the room. Michael and Kevin followed her into the kitchen, where she was now frantically putting on her shoes.

'Oh my, I really do have to go,' said Rita. 'Don't leave that mac and cheese too long, Mikey, or it'll burn. I'll be back at about eight tomorrow morning. You boys have fun, won't you? Bye now.'

With that, she dashed from the apartment and slammed the door behind her.

'Are you hungry, Kev?' Michael asked.

'Pretty hungry,' Kevin replied.

'I'll get to work on that mac and cheese, then,' said Michael. 'Do you want a glass of water with it?'

'Sure,' said Kevin. 'Thanks, Mike.'

As Michael fetched a wooden spoon and started battling with the steaming saucepan, Kevin wandered idly around the living area.

'I'm happy to see you've been keeping the place clean, Mike,' he said.

'Of course I have, Kev,' said Michael. 'I'm a domestic god now.'

Kevin smiled, then he bent to pick up a small object from one of the sofa cushions.

'There's a measuring tape here,' Kevin remarked. 'Is this so we can compare biceps or... anything?'

'It must be from my mom's sewing kit,' said Michael, as he dished up the meal. 'She was darning a few pairs of my pants earlier.'

'My mom likes sewing too,' said Kevin.

'I don't think my mom _likes_ sewing,' Michael said with a smile, 'but it seems like there's always something that needs mending. Here's your mac and cheese.'

'Thanks,' said Kevin, taking a seat at the table.

'You only want to compare biceps 'cause you know you'd win,' said Michael, filling two glasses at the sink as he spoke.

'Yeah, I'd win _that_ one, but there's other stuff we could compare,' Kevin grinned. 'I'm sure you'd win some of it. After all, you're a big boy, Mike.'

'You crack me up, Kev,' Michael laughed, as he set the water on the table. 'Now let's eat – I'm starving!'

* * *

Kevin and Michael were sitting side by side on the couch, each devouring a chocolate ice-cream on a stick.

'So tell me, Kev,' said Michael, 'who's gonna end up with Juicy Lucy – you or Jandro?'

'Who says either of us is gonna end up with her?' said Kevin.

'You mean she's a lesbian?' said Michael.

'No, I don't think so,' Kevin laughed.

'Don't you like her, then?'

'I _love_ Lucy, Mike. But not like that – she's my best friend.'

'I thought Oscar was your best friend.'

'He's my best friend too. So is Jandro.'

'How can you have three best friends?' Michael asked suspiciously.

'Because they give me three totally distinct but equally strong types of warm fuzzy,' said Kevin.

'Ella's my best friend, as well as my girlfriend,' said Michael. 'She's the only real friend I ever had... until you, Kev.'

'That's sweet, Mike.'

'I really do love her, you know. Ella, I mean.'

'Of course you do,' said Kevin. 'I don't think there's ever been a question mark over _that_.'

'Sometimes I think about Ella... and Lucy,' said Michael. 'I think about them... _doing_ things to each other. Then I think about them doing things to me _and_ to each other. Is that wrong of me, Kev?'

'Um... no, I don't think so, Mike,' said Kevin.

'Even... even if I jack off when I'm thinking about it?' said Michael.

'There's nothing wrong with having sexual fantasies,' Kevin shrugged. 'Just so long as you don't expect them to necessarily happen in real life, that's all.'

'No, I don't expect that, Kev.'

'That's okay, then.'

There followed a few seconds of silence as they finished off their ice-creams.

'How old were you when you started jacking off, Kev?' Michael asked suddenly.

'I was ten,' said Kevin.

Michael gaped at him and said, 'You're kidding me, right?'

'No,' said Kevin.

'Jesus,' Michael muttered. 'I'd never've even _thought_ of doing that when I was ten... I mean, it wouldn't have occurred to me that I _could_!'

'That kind of stuff happens at different times for everyone,' said Kevin. 'It's really not a big deal, Mike.'

'Yeah,' said Michael, 'I guess you're right, Kev. Ten, Jesus... but you didn't _produce_ anything back then, did you?'

'Not at first, no,' said Kevin. 'But I was producing quite a lot by the time I was ten and a _half_.'

'Oh my God,' Michael breathed.

'You can blame Sarah Michelle Gellar for the whole sequence of events,' Kevin grinned.

'And the fact that you were obviously an early developer.'

'Yeah, and that.'

'You know, Kev, you could definitely get a girlfriend if you wanted one,' said Michael. 'I mean, I'm sure there are loads of girls who'd be attracted to you.'

'Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mike,' said Kevin, 'but I prefer to let these things happen in their own time... like it did for you and Ella.'

'Yeah,' said Michael, 'I guess that _is_ the best way.'

'So, er... is it time to watch the video yet?'

'Um... sure, if you want. I thought we could get ready for bed first, actually, then set up the mattress and the quilts and watch the video in bed with the lights off.'

'Sounds cool, Mike,' said Kevin. 'Should I use the bathroom first or do you want to?'

'Whichever you want, Kev,' said Michel.

'Okay,' said Kevin, jumping to his feet, 'I'll go find my pyjamas.'

* * *

Kevin returned to the living room wearing a pair of red pyjama bottoms and nothing else. Michael was straightening the mattress on the floor in front of the couch. He glanced up and gave Kevin a look.

'I thought you only wore men's pyjamas, Kev,' Michael remarked.

'I used to,' said Kevin, 'but recently I've developed a big thing for boys' pyjama bottoms. Our tastes change as we grow, you know.'

'Yeah, I guess so,' said Michael. 'Do you want to take the mattress or the couch?'

'The couch, if that's okay with you.'

'That's fine, Kev. You can pick yourself out some bedding while I'm in the bathroom. Also, if you want to fast-forward through the previews at the start of the video, that'd save us some time.'

'Sure, no problem,' said Kevin. 'What are we watching?'

' _The Mask_ ,' said Michael.

'I like that one,' Kevin said with a smile.

'Yeah,' said Michael, 'you mentioned you did when we were all talking about movies at your place after school one day.'

'How sweet of you to remember, Mike.'

Michael laughed, then he disappeared into the hallway. Kevin selected a duvet and some pillows and laid them out neatly on the couch, then he found the remote control for the VCR and whizzed through the trailers at the start of the tape. Just as he managed to find the opening sequence of the actual film, Michael came back into the room. He was wearing a pair of green pyjama bottoms and nothing else.

'Hey, cool!' Kevin laughed. 'We're having a real pyjama party now, Mike!'

'If you're gonna sit around looking like the Incredible Hulk,' said Michael, 'then so am I!'

'They look great on you, dude,' Kevin grinned. 'Although the Incredible Hulk would never wear green pants himself, 'cause then it'd look like he was naked.'

'Does he wear red ones?'

'Occasionally. But purple is his favourite.'

Michael smiled, then he turned off the main light and flopped down onto his mattress. Kevin made himself comfortable on the couch, and the film began.

* * *

Michael pressed the rewind button on the VCR and went to turn the light back on.

'I really enjoyed that, Mike,' said Kevin. 'I haven't watched it for ages and I'd forgotten some of the best parts. When the police are at the door and all that money spills out of the closet – Jesus, I thought I was gonna piss myself!'

'Yeah, _I_ thought you were gonna piss yourself too,' Michael remarked. 'What do you think of Cameron Diaz, Kev?'

'Um...' said Kevin. 'She's definitely got everything in the right place, if you like that kind of thing.'

'Don't _you_ like that kind of thing?'

'Well... there's other things I like more.'

'I love that part where she comes into the bank and she's all wet,' said Michael. 'Sometimes I used to pause it there and jack off.'

'Not when you were ten, though?' Kevin said with a smile.

'No,' said Michael. 'I was twelve... well, almost thirteen.'

Michael ejected the videotape and put it away, then he came to sit next to Kevin on the couch.

'I'm not ready to go to bed yet,' he said.

'Neither am I,' said Kevin.

'What do you want to do until we _are_ ready?'

Kevin grinned, and punched Michael on the arm. Michael gave him a look, then punched him back. They simultaneously jumped to their feet and grasped each other by the shoulders, then they attempted to shove each other across the floor.

'I think you're holding back, Kev,' Michael said after a while.

'Of course I am,' said Kevin. 'That's the difference between play-fighting and real fighting, and I don't like real fighting. Aren't _you_ holding back, Mike?'

'Yes!' said Michael. 'You'd know if I wasn't, Kev, believe me!'

'Okay,' Kevin grinned, 'so let's crank this up a notch, shall we? Punching and kicking only, until one of us cries uncle.'

'You're on!' Michael grinned back. 'But we're only allowed to land blows between the shoulders and the top of the pyjama bottoms, okay?'

'Okay,' said Kevin, 'let's do this!'

Kevin and Michael spent the next fifteen minutes punching and kicking each other in the stomach and ribs, letting out yells, groans and laughs in equal measure. Eventually, Kevin found an opportunity to slam Michael up against the wall with his left hand and repeatedly sock him in the gut with his right hand. Michael laughed and groaned, turning redder by the second.

'You'd better give in now, Mike,' said Kevin. 'I can keep this up all night!'

'Oh yeah?' said Michael. 'Not if I do this, Kev!'

Michael squirmed out of Kevin's grip and dropped to the floor, where he lunged at Kevin's ankles and brought him crashing to the ground. Kevin felt all the air being knocked out of his lungs as he landed chest-first, then he felt Michael's considerable weight bearing down on his back. Grinning, Michael punched Kevin in the flank five times.

'Yowch!' Kevin screeched into the carpet. 'I think you broke your own rules to get me in this position, Mike.'

'Rules are made to be broken, Kev!' Michael laughed.

'Oh, well,' said Kevin, 'in that case...'

Kevin forced himself up onto all fours, causing Michael to tumble off him. He then leapt on top of Michael and pinned his shoulders to the ground.

'You'll never get out of this one,' Kevin told him.

'Don't bet on it,' said Michael.

Kevin flashed him a grin, then he shoved his right knee into Michael's stomach. Michael yelled and groaned.

'Uncle?' Kevin suggested.

'No way!' said Michael.

Kevin grasped both of Michael's shoulders and proceeded to slam his upper body repeatedly into the floor.

'How about now?' Kevin suggested after a time.

'I can get out of this, Kev!' Michael insisted.

Kevin laughed, then he grabbed Michael by the armpits and heaved him across the floor. Michael yelled as the carpet scratched against his back, then he felt his left shoulder making contact with the wall. There came a tremendous cracking noise. Clouds of dust and broken plaster exploded everywhere as Michael's shoulder was forced through the dry-wall and into the empty space beyond. Kevin gasped in horror and got off Michael at once. Michael dragged himself into a sitting position, brushing the dust from his hair.

'Oh my God!' Kevin squeaked. 'We broke the wall! Jesus, Mike, I'm so sorry!'

'It's not your fault, Kev,' said Michael. 'I guess we both got a little carried away.'

'It _is_ my fault! I slammed you right through the wall, Mike!'

'Yeah. I guess you _are_ the better Incredible Hulk after all, huh? Jesus, my mom is gonna kill me!'

'Well... well... not necessarily,' said Kevin. 'Maybe we can clean all this up.'

'We can't fix the hole, though, can we?' Michael pointed out.

'Er... I don't know yet,' said Kevin. 'But I think we should deal with your shoulder first, Mike. It's bleeding.'

'Is it?' said Michael, peering down at an awkward angle. 'Oh, yeah, so it is.'

'Do you have a first aid kit?'

'Yeah, there's one in the kitchen somewhere. I'll see if I can find it.'

* * *

Michael sat on the kitchen counter while Kevin cleaned up his shoulder with a damp pad of cotton wool. Several bloody tissues lay abandoned nearby.

'This isn't so bad,' said Kevin. 'I don't think it's gonna scar or anything.'

'That's a shame,' said Michael. 'I'd have one to match yours if it did.'

'Ha-ha, yeah,' said Kevin.

'Did you really get it falling off your skateboard?'

'The official answer is, yes I did. But it's actually from where a demon bit into me and drank my blood.'

'Jesus, Kev,' said Michael, 'you sure have had some adventures!'

'Yeah, I guess I have,' said Kevin. 'You mustn't tell anyone about that, Mike, okay? Only Oscar knows the truth. And all the Ghostbusters from the time, of course.'

'Your secret is safe with me, Kev,' said Michael. 'Are you almost done with my shoulder?'

'I'm done cleaning it,' said Kevin, abandoning the cotton wool. 'I just need to disinfect it and then put on one of these large white band-aids.'

'Okay, Kev,' said Michael. 'You know, you have very gentle hands when you want to. It's hard to believe they're the same hands that were viciously beating the crap out of me a few minutes ago.'

'I'm a truly multifaceted person, Mike,' said Kevin, as he shook out the disinfectant onto some fresh cotton wool.

'You're also a very _violent_ person, for a pacifist.'

'I admit, I may have crossed the line from play-fighting to real fighting tonight. Like you said, we both got a little carried away.'

'Don't worry about it, Kev,' said Michael, placing his right hand on Kevin's left shoulder. 'I enjoyed the fight a whole lot.'

'So did I,' said Kevin, fixing Michael with a smile. 'Now, just to warn you, this may sting a little.'

'I can take it, Kev,' said Michael, 'don't you worry about that!'

Kevin dabbed the disinfectant onto Michael's shoulder. Michael screamed and pulled away.

'Don't be a wuss, dude,' Kevin giggled, as he slapped the cotton wool firmly onto the wound. 'What would Ella think if she could see you now, huh?'

'She'd probably be pretty turned on,' said Michael, wincing through the pain.

'Okay, that should do it,' Kevin said at length. 'I'll just put the dressing on, then we can deal with the wall.'

'Do you really think we can fix it?'

'Like the BFG says, you is never doing anything unless you try. We'd better clean up all the mess first, then we'll see if we can patch the hole somehow. I know we'll disturb your neighbours if we turn on the vacuum cleaner this late at night, but we'll just _have_ to use it for a few seconds.'

'I'll go and fetch it,' said Michael.

'Just let me get this dressing in place first.'

'Okay.'

* * *

'Do you have any Elmer's glue, Mike?'

'Um... I think so, Kev. I'll take a look under the sink.'

Michael found the plastic bottle of spreadable glue and came over to where Kevin was sitting on the floor by the hole. Michael saw that Kevin had stuffed several large wads of newspaper into the splintered cracks, and was now spreading out a large double sheet on the floor.

'If I can stick this over the hole, it should look like a smooth surface to the untrained eye,' said Kevin.

'But the rest of the wall isn't made of newspaper, Kev,' Michael pointed out.

'We'll worry about that afterward,' said Kevin. 'Okay, let's see about that glue...'

Kevin spread the glue all over the newspaper and slapped it onto the wall. He carefully lined up the bottom edge with the skirting board, then he meticulously smoothed out all the air bubbles.

'That's pretty impressive, Kev,' said Michael, 'but I still don't see what we're gonna do next.'

'We need some of this wallpaper to paste over the top,' said Kevin. 'Do you know if there's any lying around, Mike?'

'Um... there's some unused wallpaper in the cabinet under the sink in the bathroom,' said Michael. 'I guess we might strike lucky with that.'

They both went to the bathroom to investigate. They returned to the living room carrying two rolls of wallpaper each, and started to compare them to the paper on the damaged wall.

'This one's pretty close,' said Kevin. 'It's not exactly the same, but we might get away with it.'

'Let's try it,' said Michael. 'You measure out how much we need, Kev, and I'll cut it. Ella says I'm very good with my hands.'

Kevin used the tape measure he had found earlier to work out the amount of wallpaper they would need, then he marked it out on the back of the roll. Michael took a large pair of scissors from the kitchen and carefully cut the paper along the lines.

'Wow, that's fantastic, Mike!' said Kevin. 'It looks like it's been done on one of those cutting machines. You definitely have the intricate hands of a great artist, though I really can't imagine what you've done with them to impress Ella so much.'

'Not nearly so much as I _want_ to do!' said Michael.

Kevin laughed, then he went back to the hole and lightly brushed two fingers against the wall-mounted newspaper.

'I think this is dry enough now,' he said. 'Throw me the wallpaper, would you Mike?'

Michael grinned mischievously and hurled the entire roll at Kevin. Kevin ducked, and the telephone went clattering to the floor.

'Jesus, Mike!' said Kevin, not quite managing to suppress his laughter. 'Haven't we broken enough stuff already?'

'Yeah, I guess we have,' said Michael. 'Is the phone okay?'

'It's still working,' Kevin reported, as he placed it back on its small table. 'Now, will you please _pass_ me the square of wallpaper that you cut out so carefully?'

Michael did so, and Kevin pasted the wallpaper over the newspaper. He sat back on his haunches to survey his handiwork.

'How's your mom's eyesight, Mike?' Kevin asked.

'It's not perfect,' said Michael. 'She has to wear glasses to sew and drive and work the cash register at the supermarket.'

'Maybe we'll get away with it, then,' Kevin said with a laugh. 'Wait a second – she won't notice if we move the phone table slightly, will she?'

'I doubt it,' said Michael, 'so long as it's only a few inches.'

Kevin dragged the small table a little further along the wall so that it was covering the most obvious join between the old and new wallpaper. He stood up and backed away, then he looked at his handiwork and cocked his head to one side.

'That's not so bad, actually,' Kevin remarked.

'It's excellent, Kev,' said Michael. 'I bet she'll never notice!'

'Just so long as no one tries to lean against that part of the wall,' said Kevin, 'but it's pretty low down and out of the way, so it should be safe. Okay, we'd better get all this wallpaper and glue and stuff tidied away.'

Five minutes later, everything was back where it had been at the start of the evening. Kevin took another look at the patched wall; he was no longer quite so sure of his efforts. Michael came back from the bathroom and hurled himself onto the couch.

'Jesus, I'm exhausted now!' he remarked. 'I guess we should go to sleep, Kev. What's the time?'

'Um... almost two a.m.,' said Kevin, glancing at the VCR.

'My mom'll be back in six hours,' said Michael. 'Do you want to go to bed, Kev, or should we shove each other around a little more first?'

'Let's go to bed, Mike,' said Kevin.

'Okay,' said Michael.

Michael vacated Kevin's makeshift bed and went to turn off the light. Kevin made himself comfortable on the couch, then Michael felt his way over to the mattress. He cried out as he tripped over the end of the sofa and took a dive onto his bedding. Kevin giggled.

'I'm really glad you came to sleep over with me, Kev,' said Michael.

'I'm really glad too, Mike,' said Kevin.

'We should do it again soon... even if my mom doesn't have to work another night shift.'

'I'd like that.'

'Goodnight, Kev.'

'Goodnight, Mike.'

* * *

Kevin was woken up by the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. He pulled himself into a sitting position and yawned. Michael came back into the living room a few seconds later. They stared at each other with their mouths hanging open.

'Have you seen your bruises, Kev?' said Michael.

'Have you seen _yours_ , Mike?' said Kevin. 'Jesus, we're both absolutely covered in them!'

'Wow,' Michael laughed, 'what a night, huh? Oh, but we can't let my mom see us like this – she'd never let me have a sleepover again! What time is it?'

'Um... quarter 'til eight,' said Kevin, peering at the VCR.

'Good,' said Michael, 'so we have some time. I'll get us both some cereal.'

Michael went into the kitchen and started ferreting out bowls and spoons.

'Mike, are you sure we've got time for this?' Kevin called to him. 'She only said _about_ eight.'

'It's fine, Kev,' said Michael. 'She's usually a little later than she says she'll be.'

Kevin dragged himself off the sofa and came through to the kitchen. He was just in time to see Michael turning around to reach down a box of cereal from a high cupboard. Kevin let out a horrified gasp.

'Oh my God, Mike, you have rug burns all the way down your back!' Kevin squeaked. 'Jesus, we really mustn't let ourselves get carried away like that ever again!'

'That'd be kind of a shame, don't you think?' Michael grinned, as he took down the cereal. 'It was a first-class fight, Kev.'

'I think perhaps next time I should teach you some of the karate I know instead,' said Kevin. 'That requires more finesse and less brutal pummelling, so it tends to lead to fewer bruises.'

'Sounds good,' said Michael.

'I'm sorry, Mike, but I don't think I can sit here eating cereal knowing that your mom might barge in at any moment and see me looking like a torture victim,' said Kevin. 'I'm gonna go use the bathroom and get dressed, okay?'

'Sure thing, Kev,' said Michael. 'I'll put the mattress back on my bed while you do that.'

* * *

Kevin returned to the living room dressed in all the clothes had been wearing when he arrived the night before, apart from his shoes and his hoodie. He found Michael completely engulfed under the duvet on the couch, speaking to his mother.

'Yeah, we had a great time, Mom,' Michael was saying. 'Don't you want to go get freshened up now? I think Kevin's out of the bathroom.'

'I am,' Kevin added helpfully.

'Then I will,' said Rita, flashing Kevin a smile. 'I'm so glad you boys enjoyed yourselves.'

She left the room and entered the hallway. A few seconds later, the bathroom door slammed shut. Michael wormed his way out of the duvet and dashed from the room, shooting Kevin a harangued look as he went. Kevin laughed, then he sat himself down on the sofa and closed his eyes.

It did not take long for Rita to return to the room. Kevin's heart missed a beat as he watched her head straight for the wall by the telephone table. When she got there, she did not bend down to examine the wall but started throwing the windows open.

'Please don't take this personally, Kevin,' said Rita, noticing that Kevin was looking at her with a pained expression. 'There was bound to be a strong smell of teenage boy in here after last night. It's a complex mix of aromas, including sweat, testosterone and a whole lot of other stuff... plus something unique and heart-warming that doesn't have a name.'

When she had adjusted the windows to her satisfaction, Rita moved away from the patched wall. Kevin felt his breathing return to normal. Michael came back into the room, now fully dressed.

'Ah, there you are, Mikey,' said Rita. 'I need to catch up on a few hours' sleep, so try not to make too much noise, okay? Kevin, you're quite welcome to stay for as long as you want.'

'I was going to have some cereal,' said Kevin, 'then I'd better head home.'

'Okay,' Rita smiled at him. 'Thank you so much for coming.'

'Thank you so much for having me,' said Kevin.

'Such a nice, polite boy,' said Rita, causing Kevin to look away in embarrassment. 'You could learn a few things from Kevin, Mikey.'

'I already have, Mom,' said Michael. 'That's why I'm gonna bring you a cup of tea and an oatmeal cookie at one o'clock, okay?'

'That would be wonderful,' Rita beamed at him. 'Goodnight, then... well, not good _night_ , but you know what I mean.'

Rita left the room. Kevin and Michael looked at each other. They both grinned.

'I think we got away with it,' said Michael.

'The hole in the wall, or the fact that your mom almost saw your bare, beaten body?' said Kevin.

'Both,' said Michael.

'So, how about that cereal?' said Kevin.

'Let's do it,' said Michael.


End file.
